Arthritis - does anyone have it in just one finger joint?

[PositivelyGlowing]

I apparently have arthritis in my left thumb joint (not at the base, instead it's the 'middle' joint).

At least that's what me physio told me when I went in for some treatment on a pulled back muscle, I just mentioned the issue with my thumb in passing.

Before that I had mentioned it to my doctor who thought it was an infection (in all fairness I too thought it was an infection due to clearing some brambles, although I didn't notice any injury at the time).

Does anyone else have just one arthritic finger (or thumb)? I've only had it for about six weeks (the possible arthritis that is, I've had the thumb for a bit longer ........ ;-) )

What irritates me most about it is that the skin is intermittently sore either side of the joint, so on looking at the thumb from the top it's ever so slightly red on the left edge and the right edge. It can also be moderately painful in the joint itself when I bend it but first thing in the morning it seems easier. There is also a very slight and barely noticeable raised area where each red mark is, particularly at the right side of the top of the joint.

Any suggestions as to treatment please? I see from a bit of searching that there's no full cure, only various medical and surgical treatments that may or may not help, but I'm always open to new ideas and things that I may not have noticed while doing some googling.

Funny that it's on the left side as I'm right handed and it seems logical that it would affect my more often used right thumb instead. Seemingly logic doesn't apply to my left thumb.

I have it in my left pinky finger (where the dog pulled it hard once). I also have it in my right big toe.

Never found anything that helps tbh! Now that I've stopped exercise (have a post viral fatigue thing going on) both feel better but I think the advice is to maintain some movement just not excess movement.

Thanks, sorry to hear about your finger and toe issues and the post viral fatigue. Hopefully the latter at least improves.

Arthritis is a catch all for many different types of joint pain - there are more than 100 types identified! So it is actually possible that both may be "right".

I do have arthritis elsewhere, but unbtil recently, not in my hands. Now I have some in the lower joint of my left middle finger - like you, not my dominant hand and not what you'd expect. Arthritis can be like that - not what you expect.

I find that gentle excercise - hand putty or squeezable balls - actually helps a lot.

Mine started in one middle finger when I was about 50. It gradually spread to all my fingers.
I'm now 65 and have Rheumatoid arthritis which is considered more serious but in many cases can be managed well with drugs. I also have osteoarthritis for which there is no treatment unless you need a joint replacement.
The fingers are still the worst affect most of the time and the damage there is osteoarthritis.

I think my husband has but hasn’t been diagnosed officially!